Losing You
by peachy626
Summary: Jack's going Ancient again - is now the time for Carter to tell him how she feels?  during Lost City


Disclaimer: Don't own anything no matter how much I reeeeeealy wish I did! (yada yada, insert usual disclaimer)

Rating: M/Adult

Beta: Not got one so any mistakes are mine – sorry! Also, this story is one that is based on an actual scene and so I've done the dialogue as close as possible but please no flames for mistakes (and missed out bits – for fluency is all) !

Feedback: yes please! (love that little message in my email box to say review received – makes me all warm and fuzzy!) This is only my fourth story and it's nice to know if I'm doing it right! Special thanks to those who've reviewed my other offerings and have added those stories and me to notification lists – I love you all!

Setting: During Lost City 1 and 2 (Season 7 finale).

Spoilers: Possibly vague-ish ones for Lost City but anyone interested enough to read Carter/O'Neill fanfic has surely seen the episodes more than once!

**Losing You**

"What the hell am I doing?" was the thought screaming in the very overactive mind of one Major Samantha Carter as she stood on her commanding officer's porch at 3 o'clock in the afternoon on the day that would change her life. She'd already knocked on the damn door and still had no idea what she was going to say if and when Colonel O'Neill opened it. Wringing her hands slightly she was jolted from her mashed up thoughts when the door did open with a rumpled O'Neill behind it. Her mind immediately did that little hop and skip thing it always did when she saw him out of uniform and her belly flip flopped a bit until she realised he was looking at her and she still hadn't said anything.

"Did I wake you?" as she said the words she winced - _great Sam, tell him he looks tired._

"Sorta" He looked around uncomfortably. Sam winced again and realised maybe coming here, now, was not a great plan.

"I couldn't sleep at all last night" Her eyes boggled a little realising her words could be taken more than one way, some of them unprofessional. When O'Neill replied "Should've called" her brain went into overdrive and wondered what the hell he meant by that – they spoke at night about work sometimes but never just to _talk_, that was dangerous territory – for them at least. "I didn't wanna bother you" she managed to get out.

As her nervous hand wringing went into overdrive O'Neill opened the door a little wider and gestured for her to come in.

"So, Hammond send you by to check up on me?" he asked.

"No, er It's funny really, I was out driving, you know...in my car, and I um, I drove here. Yeah ..." she stammered out.

He fixed her with a Jack O'Neill smile and joined her in her nervous chuckle "Funny".

As she stepped inside Jack offered coffee and disappeared into the kitchen. Sam was almost bouncing on her toes trying to work up the courage to say what she came here to say ("which is a great plan if only I knew what the hell that was") when Jack called through the doorway that coffee was awol and would beer do. Agreeing to the beer ("hell it can't hurt at this point right?") Sam moved further into the house and into the comfy den. More pizza and beer had been consumed here during various movie nights with the boys than she could ever hope to remember and she smiled a little recalling the time she and Daniel had desperately tried to hide the Star Wars tape while O'Neill had distracted Teal'c who wanted to see it for the tenth time.

**SAM**

Ok. (Walks to the sofa, jack's sitting

down) What do you want to talk about?

(He just looks up at her) You wanna

be alone. (Puts the beer down) This

was a bad I ... I ... should go.

**JACK**

Finish your beer. (She hadn't even taken

a sip, BTW. ;)) (She takes a deep breath)

And then you have to wait at least an

hour before you drive. (Flicks his cap

across the room)

**SAM**

(Looks at him) Sir? (Sits next to him

on the sofa)

**JACK**

(After a long pause of her just staring

at him) What?

**SAM**

I should have done it.

**JACK**

What? Stuck your head in that thing?

Are you nuts? Carter. You're one of

this country's natural resources. If

not National treasures. It couldn't

have gone down any other way. (A car

pulling up is faintly heard) I just

hope it's worth it. (Takes a sip of

his beer)

**SAM**

Even if we do find the Lost City. Even

if we get there and find exactly what

we're looking for to defend the planet...

**JACK**

(Interrupting her) THAT ... would be

worth it. (Takes another sip, she closes

her eyes)

**DANIEL**

(After knocking "Shave-and-a-hair-cut"

on the door) (Sam looks up at Jack,

startled, Jack stares at Sam, she closes

her eyes again) Opening the door, putting

his head in) Hello! (Teal'c is outside,

cocks his head to look in the window.

He has a white box in his hands)

**JACK**

(Sam grins.) In here. (Jack continues

to look at Sam)

**DANIEL**

(He and Teal'c slowly walk in the door.

A red vintage car is in the driveway.)

(Sees Sam and Jack sitting pretty close)

Oh sorry, are we interrupting anything?

Shaking the memory away she absently picked up a photo next to one of the four of them together. As Jack came down the few steps into the room with the proffered Guinness her eyes flashed onto the family picture of him with Sara and Charlie.

"Do you ever speak to her?" she nodded at the photo slightly.

"Can we not talk about that?"

Carter's stomach dropped at the brief and hard answer. She hadn't meant to hurt him but she was nervous and had said the first thing that occurred to her. Trying a different tack she plastered on a trademark Sam Carter grin before saying "Sure. Uh, how are you feeling?"

"Can we not talk about that either?" But this time there was a slightly wry edge to his words, which is at least better than pissed off, she thought.

Jack flopped onto the sofa and gestured with his bottle for her to sit. Instead Sam stood fidgeting in front of the couch "Ok. What do you want to talk about?" When he didn't answer and just looked up at her she realised she wasn't sure he even wanted her in his house, his mood was dark and what she'd come to say was difficult enough without him being shut off like this. Putting her beer down on the coffee table she straightened and prepared to do what always happened when they were alone outside of work – chicken out.

"You wanna be alone. This was a bad I ... I ... should go."

Looking up at her he sensed her discomfort and realised he was being a bit of an ass. Indicating the sofa again he told her to sit and drink her beer, and that she'd have to stay another hour after that anyway before she drove. Neither of them decided to notice that she hadn't even taken a sip yet so _really_ she didn't have to stay. He saw her relax a little and she perched next to him but he could still feel her wound up like a spring. After knowing her for seven years he knew when she had something to say and waited patiently for her to fiddle with her bottle and watched much crimping of eyebrows before she met his gaze.

Sam's stomach was doing the hula and it felt as if her heart was going to pound right out of her chest when she looked at O'Neill. He was calm and silent and watching her in that way he does, his eyes taking in every movement she made.

"What?" he finally asked.

"I should have done it".

"What? Stuck your head in that thing? Are you nuts? Carter. You're one of this country's natural resources. If not National treasures. It couldn't have gone down any other way. I just hope it's worth it." He said it with a wry smile but Sam was still back where he thought she was amazing.

As Sam tried desperately to work out when she'd reverted to a fourteen year old girl and why he was looking at her like _that_ she dimly registered a new sound in the room. It filtered through that it was a knock on the door but O'Neill made no move to answer it, he simply continued looking at her, almost as if he were staring into her soul. She could almost hear him thinking and for the first time wasn't nervous about what _she_ was doing, but instead about what _he_ might do.

Jack was considering ignoring the door, his eyes were glued to the beautiful woman in front of him and even the awkwardness of the situation and her evident shyness couldn't make him shake the feeling that since this could very possibly be the last time they would ever be alone he should probably do something totally crazy like, oh I don't know, tell her everything he felt?

The thought was interrupted by the door opening and Jack inwardly sighed. It could be only one of two people who would open his door if he neglected to answer, though he was figuring it was most likely both of them. Holding Sam's gaze for another heartbeat he yelled out "In here" and wasn't even slightly surprised when Daniel's face popped round the corner with Teal'c close behind.

Shifting in her seat to face the two other members of SG-1 she took in Daniel's slightly widened eyes and simply smiled when he asked if they were interrupting something. Almost as if on cue both she and Jack answered together in a wry tone "No".

When Daniel used a replica of Sam's excuse as his reason for calling O'Neill touched Sam's thigh and nodded at her in the private joke "Funny". He smiled at her and tried to ignore the shot of electricity that had accompanied touching Carter, as per usual.

"Are those donuts?" Jack motioned at the box in Teal'c's large hands.

"Indeed"

Sam smiled as O'Neill replied with his trademark "Excellent" and thought that even though she hadn't actually accomplished anything in terms of what she wanted to say, perhaps the four of them being here together like this was really just the way it should be.

**OoooooOOOOOoooooO**

As the evening drew on the seating arrangement changed. Almost out of habit Jack and Sam vacated the sofa and instead took up a chair each. Jack was smiling bemusedly at Daniel who was fast approaching drunk. His voice had risen in volume and he was talking less sense than usual, but Jack's attention was really on the blonde who had just brushed past him on her return to her seat. He liked it when she wore civvies, especially skirts, it made her seem less like a soldier somehow and that meant he could pretend in his head, for a little while at least, that she wasn't his second in command and completely out of reach. Instead he could pretend she was just a really hot woman who was totally out of his league. So much better. He smiled wryly at his own internal joke.

Laughing with his people, his family, like this he could almost trick himself into believing nothing was different and that it was just any other weekend but when he made a lame joke about leaving his Simpsons video sets to Siler instead of one of them he caught the look of hurt in Sam's eyes. Forcing himself to look away he received a welcome distraction when someone knocked on the door. He rose to answer, assuming it would be the pizza guy but instead was met by none other than General Hammond. Ushering him into the den he provided a beer and chair for the boss man and prepared for a nice little speech maybe, or perhaps a bit of reminiscing… not the announcement that Hammond had been reassigned and the SGC was on hiatus and oh my god I am so screwed.

"General, we do have a little unfinished business here" O'Neill said gesturing at himself.

"As far as I know, you're all to report for work as scheduled on Monday." Hammond replied.

And really, there was nothing else to say. Hammond made his excuses after an hour or so, and the rest of the night passed quietly and as predicted with a fair amount of reminiscing and stories told. As the dusk fell and lamps were lit and a fire started Jack looked at the three people in his living room in turn. The three people who had saved his life more times than he cared to count, the three people who he carried with him as family. Daniel, with his infuriating morality and solid heart, Teal'c with loyalty beyond compare and an eyebrow that could kill. Finally his gaze landed on Carter who looked just simply magnificent in the firelight. Her eyes were shining with unshed tears of laughter stemming from a story Daniel was telling and her skin was glowing. Smiling he took another pull from his bottle and realised that if he was honest she had probably saved him a little before they ever went into battle together. Her fierceness on the day he met her, coupled with the fact his flyboy nonsense didn't work one iota with her, saved his soul. He'd been in a bad place and somehow even before really knowing her she'd shown him that maybe he wasn't as dead inside as he thought.

Sam could feel him watching her and her hands started to sweat lightly. She wondered what he was thinking about and whether she would ever find out. She thought about how far they had all come, as a team, and as themselves since that first mission so long ago. She also thought about what a total ass he was when she met him for the first time and smiled at the memory of the haughty little speech she'd given about women in the Air Force and her abilities. She felt her cheeks flush slightly when she remembered him looking at her when she'd finished and he'd said with that damn grin "Oh this has nothing to do with you being a woman. I like women. I've just got a little problem with scientists". All the while he'd worn that smug little half smile and his eyes were hard on hers, dancing with amusement at her responses.

She chanced a look at him out of the corner of her eye and he caught her, grinning at her briefly while nodding at Daniel who was now verging on completely drunk.

Though nobody really wanted to end the evening, twenty minutes later Teal'c stood and bowed his head slightly before announcing he would be taking Daniel home. After a few protests Daniel also stood and clumsily followed Teal'c and Jack to the door where he promptly threw his arms around Jack and told him he was the best friend he'd ever had. Sam had moved to take the empty bottles into the kitchen and from where she stood she could see O'Neill pat Daniel's back and say something she couldn't hear. Manoeuvring the drunk man out of the door Teal'c nodded and bowed in Sam's direction and she called out with a smile "Bye boys, good luck Teal'c". Knowing first hand that getting a drunk Daniel home was akin to taking a five year old hopped up on e-numbers to Toys'r'Us. Finishing up in the kitchen Sam could feel eyes on her and when she turned found that O'Neill leant in the doorframe watching her. He was doing the silent, staring thing again and heat rushed to Sam's face knowing that now, after a few beers, was an even worse time to even think about trying to say what she'd originally wanted to. Moving towards him she stopped at the table to collect her purse and jacket and with her back to him she said, in what she hoped was a nonchalant tone, "I guess I should go too, let you get some rest". Half of her was secretly hoping for a declaration of love and a "Please stay with me forever" on bended knee but the sensible half knew with deep certainty that he'd let her go. No argument, nothing said. Like always.

Watching her back Jack toyed with what to say. What he should say. He wanted to tell her to stay, he wanted to tell her how beautiful she looked in the firelight, he wanted to ask her what she had wanted to say earlier. But what he actually said was "Thank you". She turned at this and looked at him confused. He answered her silent question "I'm glad you were all here tonight. It felt right. Good".

She smiled and walked towards him. As she drew level he pushed backwards from the doorframe to let her past and followed her the brief few steps to the door. As she reached to open it he caught the scent of her hair and felt the warmth coming off her and was suddenly very afraid of everything he was leaving unsaid. He chewed his lip momentarily and his brain buzzed. She turned the door knob and the door clicked open. Realizing it was now or really, really never he made a judgement call and instead of backing up to let her open the door wider to leave he raised his right hand and pushed the door back closed with his palm. The sound echoed in the hall and neither one of them moved.

**OoooooOOOOOoooooO**

Sam was still facing the door with Jack behind her stood only inches away when she heard his voice. She didn't turn, knowing somehow that whatever was going to be said wouldbe easier if she didn't have to see his eyes. If she met his gaze, it would all be over and she'd run again, out of fear if nothing else. He spoke quietly but she could feel the whisper of his words on the back of her neck and felt goosebumps rise.

"Why did you come?"

"Because… I'm afraid"

"Of what?"

Sam took a shaky breath and spoke in a rush before her nerve abandoned her.

"Losing you. Of _not telling you_ I'm afraid of losing you. God, this is crazy and pretty stupid, especially since I've never even had you to lose"

She hung her head a little and sighed out a wry half-laugh which was cut off when Jack spoke in her ear, his breath closer and warmer on her skin than before.

"Do you really believe that?"

Sam turned and finally met his eyes, seeing everything she was feeling reflected there. Their faces were only inches apart and as Jack raised a hand to touch her face Sam closed her eyes.

"You've always had me, Carter."

His breath was warm on her face and she could all but feel his stubble on her skin. Positive he was about to kiss her she was surprised when instead of his lips on hers she felt his words against her cheek.

"Stay. With me. Tonight"

Sam's eyes fluttered open and met his, she watched his pupils dilate and the darkness and desire there mirrored her own she was sure. But it was more than that, it was a need and a hunger seven years in the making, a love that had grown and changed and fluttered and finally, now needed to fly because the future they faced was more terrifying than any they'd ever known.

No words were needed in response. One look told Jack all he needed and as he bent his head to touch his lips to hers he was surprised at the gentleness of his own kiss. The fire and need that burned in his belly was white hot but this kiss felt like he was trying to say everything he would never be able to express in his usual clumsy-with-feelings way. His breath was shaky when they parted after the slow kiss, he rested his forehead on hers and breathed her in, taking in every detail of the way he smelt and sounded in the aftermath of their first real kiss.

Opening his eyes he met hers and she smiled in that way she reserved for him and putting her arms around his neck pulled him to her again. This time her tongue traced his lips seeking entrance and he gladly let her in. They danced slowly in the heat of their fused mouths, tasting and touching and stroking until breathing was an urgent need. Breaking apart O'Neill used his trademark humour to cover the fact he was nervous as hell and whistled under his breath, raised his eyebrows and mouthed "wow" in an exaggerated fashion. Sam chuckled low in her throat and smiled. Her fingers were winding into his hair and somehow in the heat of their kiss she'd become pushed against the front door meaning that their bodies were mashed together solidly from knee to shoulder.

Their gazes locked when they simultaneously realised their position, silently appraising how they fit against each other. Jack's now evident arousal was trapped between them and he was a little nervous about the fact, though from their heated kisses he knew Sam wasn't exactly likely to be surprised. Bodies stilled, fingertips caressed each other's skin and memorised reactions while their eyes never left one another. The heat passing between his brown eyes to her blue ones was growing with every passing second but Jack was truly afraid, more so than he was of going Ancient again and maybe dying, of changing this new status quo. He was terrified if he moved the spell would be broken and she'd run from him again, chicken out, whatever. But he was almost more afraid that she wouldn't – what if she _didn't_ leave? What _if_ she wanted this the same way he did?

Knowing Jack wasn't usually a man to overthink the situation, Sam was almost amused by the look of deep concentration in his eyes as he studied her. Though his gaze was burning her and she knew he wanted her from a certain part of his anatomy pressed against the bottom of her belly it was like he was terrified of what to do next. She decided enough was enough after seven years and, before she could change her mind, made the next move - and he better be damn ready!

Whetting her lips with the just the tip of her tongue she stepped away from the door, getting even closer to him – though she wasn't sure how that was even possible – and encircled his waist with her arms. Ducking her head she starting placing darting kisses along the available part of Jack's neck and collar bone, he rolled his head to allow her better access and moaned so quietly she almost missed it. Taking this as a good sign one of her hands found it's way to nape of his neck and her fingers softly tugged at the messy silver hair she found, nails scraping his scalp gently. Her other hand was busy at the loose collar of his shirt tugging and soon she had even more tanned skin to attack, kisses now interspersed with little nips and flicks of her tongue.

What she was doing to his neck and chest with her mouth was driving him beyond crazy and as if waking from a dream he realised he really should be participating in this activity. His hands found their way to her back and stroked her spine, fingers playing with each vertebra as he meandered slowly towards her waist. When he reached her lower back and pushed gently she arched into him and her hips rotated almost imperceptibly against his arousal, eliciting a groan from deep in his belly. He felt her smile against his skin in triumph at his reaction and decided that she needed a taste of her own medicine. Moving his hands from her waistband he danced his knuckles up and down her sides, grazing the very edge of her breasts on each pass. She arched again and pulled her mouth away from his overheated skin, tossing her head back a little in a silent 'o'. Her hands stilled, one still at the nape of his neck and the other fisted in his shirt, while she waited without breathing for his next touch. Taking advantage of her exposed neck he traced her jawline with his tongue and nipped gently at the soft spot behind her ear. She shivered against him and rotated her hips slightly as if urging him on. Placing his palms on her sides just below her armpits he traced the side of her breasts, feeling her arch them forward to seek more from his hands. His thumbs gently touched the underneath of their heavy weight and skimmed up to ghost over her already pebbled nipples. She panted gently and when she murmured his name he lifted his head to see her face, cheeks flushed and lips wet from where she was biting her lip. Teasing her lips with his tongue he dipped his head and pressed his mouth to hers, tangling his tongue in her mouth.

It was almost as if the kiss woke her from the blissed out state he'd created with his featherlight caresses and her hands once again started moving, this time with more urgency. Their kissing became wetter and harder, almost as if their very life breath was within the other.

Opening one eye for a moment Jack manoeuvred them to the two steps down into the den, he stepped down them backwards quickly while Sam remained at the top and now had a height advantage. She placed her hands on his shoulders and stroked the solid muscles there gently through the fabric. Jack was looking up at her in wonder, as if expecting her to suddenly vanish or run away or something, instead she moved her hands to the hem of her blouse and lifted it up and over her head. Nervously she balled it in her hands while she watched him take in her torso, he was so still and silent she moved to cover her chest but her movement seemed to shake him and he caught her hands midway, gently taking her blouse from her hands and tossing it aside. He kissed her palms and fingers while his eyes never lost their lock on hers. Tugging her forward gently she stepped down one stair and realised her chest was now straight in front of Jack's face. Slowly, still holding her eyes, his tongue darted out and traced the valley of her cleavage. He released her hands and his own resumed their earlier position against her sides. His thumbs played over her nipples through the material of her bra and his tongue continued tracing the skin not behind the lacy shield.

She was so beautiful he could barely stand it, her face was flushed with desire and shyness and her breasts were heaving with hot breath. When he tasted her skin it was slightly salty from sweat and yet sweet from whatever perfume she had on. It was a taste that was just _her_. As his fingers traced her beautiful chest her hands found their way into his hair and pulled his head closer, silently asking for more. One of his hands reached behind her and flicked at the fastening of her underwear, feeling it come loose he noticed the slight change in the position of her breasts and as he stroked the garment down over her shoulders and arms her creamy globes spilled out and into his hands.

Sam's breathing had hitched when she'd felt him pop the fastener of her bra, almost in terror, but she resisted her tremors and when his mouth returned to her skin without the lace in the way any lingering nervousness was replaced with a desire so hot she thought it was too much and yet _so_ not enough at the same time. She was well aware she was arching provocatively into his face and would have been shy if she had any rationality left but the way his tongue was laving her skin and his teeth nipping at the pebbled rosy buds of her nipples meant all she could really do was fist his hair and moan his name.

Hearing his name on her lips as she breathlessly panted out her need was almost too much to bear and he moved his lips to the column of her throat and his hands to the small of her back. She mumbled something which sounded like a reprimand for leaving her breasts and he smiled against her skin. Pulling her gently down another step she was back on solid ground and her hazy eyes found his. Tracing her nails down from their position in his hair she scratched at his back through his shirt as she journeyed lower. Sneaking under the hem at the bottom her fingers ghosted along his waistband and over the sharp ridge of his hip bones before lazily finding the bottom hem at the front. With a half smile she lifted the material higher, over the smooth plane of his tummy, exposing the broad toned expanse of his chest until she could reach no further and Jack quickly moved to whip it over his head. Discarding it somewhere behind him they stood now both topless face to face, not touching now, just silently memorising the other's body. When at last they both moved forward to tangle in a slow kiss they both hissed and groaned gently at the feeling of their skin coming into contact. He could feel her hard nipples rubbing against his own chest and in turn his spattering of chest hair tickled and scratched her skin wonderfully.

Neither of them would ever know how long they stood that way, kissing slowly, tenderly. Pressed together hard, arms tangled and touching and stroking. When finally Sam's hand wandered lower and paused at his belt Jack pulled away from her mouth and looking at her silently asked with his gaze for the last time if she was sure. Smiling she kissed him again and undid the buckle, her small fingers were shaking slightly as she fingered the button below but any fears were quickly replaced with a hurry when Jack's own hands found the zip at the back of her skirt. As it lowered she fought the urge to hold it back up and instead let it pool round her feet.

Sucking in a breath as she waited for his reaction to the rest of her body she lowered her eyes but looked up sharply through her eyelashes when she felt two palms skim over her hips and a trademark "Nice". Tracing the lace panties round her hips to the curve of her butt he lowered his mouth to her neck and murmured again her skin, "Never had you down as a matching sexy lingerie kinda girl Carter". She could tell he was smiling and decided to tease him, as he was her. Pushing at his jeans they lowered and as her fingers trailed down to ghost at the waistband of his shorts she whispered breathlessly "Oh yeah, every day. Bet you'll never look at me in my plain old BDUs the same way again huh?".

She was rewarded with a groan and a squeeze to her ass as he pulled her closer. Her core pressed tightly against his groin and he wriggled a little to finally lose the jeans at his ankles which caused some rather enjoyable friction for them both. Without the jeans in the way she could feel the hardness of his arousal more clearly and wasn't surprised that he wasn't exactly under-endowed. The loose underwear allowed it to move a little and she felt him brush against her skin hot and hard. Palming her butt he pulled her as close as possible and ground his pelvis against her, he could feel through the cotton of his shorts that she was already wet and hot and he could smell her arousal as she moved against him. She moaned at the contact and scratched at his chest with her nails, her lips found his own nipples and sucked and nipped at them until he couldn't bear it anymore and pulled her face up for a bruisingly passionate kiss.

His fingers traced the edges of her panties and skimmed underneath, catching the sensitive skin in the crease of her thigh she jerked against his hand and groaned into his mouth, rotating her hips to try and tempt him further. Not that he needed any tempting, he wanted nothing more right then than to push his fingers inside of her and hear her scream his name. Working his hand between them he cupped her mound and traced her sex with his finger tips. She rocked gently against the heel of his hand, seeking the penetration she ached for but still gasped out loud and jerked when he thrust two fingers deep inside her. He was amazed at how wet she already was and the idea it as all for him almost made him lose it right there and then. Slowly he thrust his fingers inside her, stroking her walls inside and circling her clitoris with his thumb gently.

Gripping his shoulders her nails dug in slightly as she panted and moaned his name against his neck, he increased his tempo slightly as he felt her starting to tighten and flutter around his fingers. Pushing at her lower back she arched forward, he whispered quietly in her ear about how wet she was and how hard it made him and how he wanted to feel her around him and how beautiful she was. And when he admitted in a low growl about dreaming about making her come she keened his name and gripped him within her body as she exploded. Her breathing was coming so fast he thought she might well hyperventilate and he could feel her babbling incoherently against his skin. Allowing her body to come down from its high he gently stroked her hips and sides and held her close until she lifted her head and met his eyes.

Despite the intimate act they'd both just enjoyed and the fact they were each only wearing underwear Jack was nervous of her reaction. He was afraid after the heat of the moment had passed she'd regret it. Instead her hands trailed lazily to the waistband of his shorts and scratched at his skin lightly.

"Make love with me .. Jack" she said with a slight smile, as if testing the use of his first name. And with her simple request Jack knew he had lost whatever resolve he had to wait for her to call the shots and kissed her almost roughly. She murmured into his mouth and pushed at his underwear until it pooled loosely at his ankles. Stepping out of the fabric he pulled her close and stroked down to her hips. Finding the edge of her panties he gently peeled them downwards and wriggling gently Sam shimmied them to the floor.

Now completely nude they both broke apart from their kiss and smiling his best flyboy grin at her, complete with killer dimples, tugged her backwards onto the rug in front of the gently burning fire. The wool tickled the underside of her feet but it was soon forgotten when Jack's mouth found her ear and told her how sexy she was and how he was going to make love to her like he'd dreamt of for so long. Almost in unison they both slowly sank to their knees and pressed together in a kiss, hands roamed over skin and spread heat wherever they touched. Jack's hands once again palmed her butt and held her against him, her wetness was warm on his manhood and with every rock of her hips he brushed her sensitive clitoris with the tip of his erection.

He could hear her breathy moans and it was driving him crazy, leaning in close to her ear he trailed open-mouthed kisses to her earlobe and whispered in a low voice "Do you know how amazing that sound you're making is? Huh? I need you to lie back now Carter so I can feel you all around me while you make that noise". His words made her breath hitch, the sheer idea that he was close to losing it because she was aroused by him made her feel powerful and wanton and like she'd explode if he wasn't inside her in the next 30 seconds. Wasting no time in bringing her legs around to be either side of Jack's she laid back and immediately found her body covered with his. Resting above her on his bent forearms he was circling his hips lazily, brushing her soaked sex with his erection. She squirmed and moaned out his name, grabbing for his ass and pulling him tight against her.

The last of his willpower to tease her deserted him and with a small movement raised his hips slightly and entered her in one smooth thrust. She cried out and dug her nails into his back but when Jack looked at her to see if he'd hurt her she was staring back at him with fire in her eyes. Moving slowly he withdrew almost completely before entering her once again, earning another gasp. Sam locked her feet behind Jack's butt and the new angle meant that when he entered her again he was even deeper, this time the grunt and gasp came from him. Steady, slow strokes only served to make them both hotter and when Jack started rotating his hips slightly Sam urged him on to a faster tempo by squeezing her thighs around his hips and clenching her internal muscles around his penis. Groaning at the increase in pressure inside her he thrust fast and hard, moving her up the rug with every pounding movement he delivered. She was breathing fast now and all but yelling his name, her nails were buried in his skin and all at once she arched up towards him and came apart around him. He could feel her vibrating inside and squeezing him harder than he thought possible.

He'd thought watching her come before when he'd been touching her was the most erotic thing he could have imagined but watching her come while he was buried inside her, trying to hold onto his sanity long enough not to come himself yet, was so, _so_ much more. Her face was pink and flushed and her chest was heaving. Her breasts were rising and falling and sheened in sweat. While her breathing returned to normal he tried to distract himself from the fact he was very, _very_ close by dipping his head and gently licking at her salty skin then suckling lightly on each nipple. It gave him enough time to calm down and when he realised she was no longer panting hard he looked up at her. She was watching him and biting her lip, thinking. The idea she was deep in concentration at now of all times made him smile, but then she was constantly thinking thinking thinking so why should now be any different.

Sensing the smile against her skin Sam flexed her internal muscles again and was rewarded with a low growl from the man still hard inside her. He'd just given her the most intense orgasm of her life so far and decided he deserved a bit of payback so taking advantage of his relaxed state and the fact he was currently more than occupied with her breasts she flexed her buttock muscles and clenched her thighs, rolling them both over so that now she was laid on top of him.

Laughing as they landed her brought his hands up to tangle in her hair and said "Hi" with a smile. Lowering her face to kiss him, what started as sweet and tempting quickly evolved into a deep, hot kiss and Jack thrust gently upwards inside her almost without meaning to. Sam pulled her mouth away and sat upright. Bringing her legs up so she was sat astride him he slipped even further inside her. She looked down and slowly rocked her hips backwards and forwards, watching their joined bodies. Reaching for her breasts Jack splayed his hands over her flesh and squeezed gently, his own hips now moving in time with Sam's so that their sexes pressed together tightly before Sam moved away and then back. The slow and deep speed felt amazing and Jack's mind quickly stopped being able to do two things at once. His hands lowered from her breasts to her hips and gripping them tightly he moved Sam back and forwards in a faster motion. On every third or fourth down-stroke Sam would grind her pelvis down harder and resist him pulling her backwards again. Whenever she did this her clitoris was being rubbed firmly by his pelvic bone and she arched backwards and threw her head back and moaned.

Knowing he was close but trying to hold on for her again Jack brought himself up into a sitting position and still holding her hips guided her up and down his shaft at a steady speed. The change in position meant that Sam's sensitive bundle of nerves rubbed on Jack's pubic bone with every movement and soon the tingling in her belly grew so it was unstoppable. Meeting Jack's eyes she silently looked for confirmation that he too was ready to lose himself and what she saw there knocked her over the edge. His eyes were dark with desire and as he pulled her to him with a hard kiss she slammed herself down one last time before grinding and rocking hard against him as her orgasm flooded over her.

Not holding out on her this time he allowed his own release to explode when she ground hard against him, squeezing him tighter than before and with two thrusts he emptied himself inside of her with a shout of her name.

Holding her to him as her body stopped quivering he stroked her back gently and kissed gently along her shoulder. As she returned to herself her hands found the hair at the nape of his neck and stroked there gently. When they had both regained the ability to breath and maintain a normal heartbeat he pulled back slightly and pressed his damp forehead to hers. She opened her eyes and smiled and in a comedy replica of his reaction to their first kiss mouthed "Wow" at him. He chuckled and kissed her gently before suddenly lying back and taking her with him. She squeaked as they landed but almost purred when Jack rolled to the side so they were face to face. Reaching behind him he found a throw from the couch and shook it over them both, sighing contentedly when Sam buried her head in the nook of his shoulder and tangled her legs with his.

They laid like that for what felt like hours, sharing whispers in the dark. Telling stories and murmuring secrets until sleep beckoned in the pre-dawn, trying almost to fit a lifetime's worth of nights into just one. The fire had dimmed and died long before but the heat they shared was enough. In the silence Jack felt Sam tense almost imperceptibly and against his chest felt her cheek shift as she chewed her lower lip.

He traced her back with gentle fingers and murmured "Are you sad?"

"No. And yes". She sighed quietly and Jack waited for her to go on. "I'll never regret it but… what if _this_ is our goodbye? It's almost worse to have this finally only to have it snatched back".

Tilting her chin so she met his gaze he said "If this is all we get, wouldn't you rather remember it as something magical and perfect and worth waiting for than something you almost wish hadn't happened because it's painful to remember? Cos I'm not. Sad that is. I don't think I've ever felt this whole. Sleep now, I'll still be here in the morning."

Sam settled back onto Jack's chest and let the steady thrum of his heartbeat lull her into sleep. Faintly as she drifted she heard him whisper into her hair "I love you" before sleep claimed her.

**OoooooOOOOOoooooO**

Jack finished fiddling with the coloured control crystals in his bid to speed up the engines and shot them with the zat. Almost immediately the ship's hum heightened in pitch and started moving faster.

Sam looked at Jack as he pushed the panel back into position and felt sick, knowing this meant she was losing him, that he was starting to change more rapidly. Her one and only regret was that she hadn't said "I love you too" and the thought she might never get to say it terrified her more than anything.

As the engine lights flashed around them she met his gaze and said "Sir, when I came to your house….."

Before she could finish Jack simply said "I know". And in that moment when his eyes bore into her soul like only he could do she realised that he _did_ know, that he'd _always_ known because _she had always known._


End file.
